AbstractIntroductionThe aim of our study was to assess the quality of life as well as secondary cancers/diseases and esophagectomy‐related or unrelated interventions in the long‐term course of surgery.Patients and MethodsOut of 417 patients who underwent esophageal resection for cancer between September 1985 and November 2003, 85 were defined as long‐term survivors (≥5 years). Fifty patients still alive in November 2008 complied with our inclusion criteria. The general (QLQ‐C 30, version 3.0) as well as the esophagus specific quality of life (QLQ‐OES 18) were analyzed with the help of the EORTC QLQ‐questionnaires.ResultsThe median observation interval since the operation was 100.1 (range 60–238) months. A median Global Health Status of quality of life (EORTC QLQ‐C 30) of 66.7 was found (range 16.7–100). Among the functioning scores, emotional (83.3 (range 16.7–100)) and cognitive functioning (83.3 (range 0–100)) were highest. The esophagus‐specific quality of life (EORTC QLQ‐OES 18) revealed a median value (scale 0–100) of 0 each for dysphagia and difficulties with swallowing saliva, whilst reflux was a major problem with a score of 50.0 (range 0–100).ConclusionOur results show that long‐term survival with a good quality of life is possible after curative esophagectomy for carcinoma. J. Surg. Oncol. 2010;102:516–522. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.